​Lawns can become moist over prolonged periods of time for many reasons. Some of those reasons include problems such as one’s lawn not receiving enough sun, grading problems, and improper filtration. Sometimes a lawn’s moisture persists because the soil of someone’s lawn contains smaller particles that hold in more water than other types of soil.     
Lawn grading is important because it allows the water to flow away from one’s property and making sure your lawn is properly watered. Grading problems include low spots in your landscape and raised areas. If you have those problems than you will see a possible pooling of water in unwanted places. 
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Improper irrigation can lead to the overt moisture in your lawn by watering too much or at improper times. Making sure that your irrigation is well done can lead to a better-looking lawn. Also, proper irrigation can contribute to the overall health of one’s landscape.  

If your lawn is made up of or is primarily made up of clay it may contribute to a consistently wet lawn. Clay soil contains more water because it is made up of smaller particles.  

Even though your lawn may be constantly wet there are ways that you can fix it. One way that you can fix your lawn is adding topsoil with a layer of straw. If you add topsoil and straw to the low areas than it will help the water gather in less of a concentrated area because it will be more level.   

Furthermore, you can check to see if your landscape is properly irrigated and graded. Also making sure your lawn gets enough sunlight can help it become less bogged down with water.  

Aeration is another good way to help your lawn. The aeration process helps drain more water through soil. It also helps loosen up tight soil which promotes root growth. Another way that you can fix it is adding vegetation or more plants. Plants and vegetation will take up more water from your lawn. Making sure your yard receives proper sunlight will also promote growth and help evaporate some of the excess moisture.  
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Regarding your lawn is also an option to help lessen the amount of water it holds in. However, regrading takes heavy equipment, and it is cost more than other options.  
Once the lawn in taken care of than one can take pride in, their work and their outdoor environment. If you don’t have a soggy lawn than you won’t have to deal with inconveniences like muddy shoes. With a dry lawn you will also have the opportunity to spend more time with your family and friends in a suitable environment. A great lawn is wonderful for cook outs, picnics, or playing catch.  

Carpetgrass is a desirable grass type in parts of the country. Not so in both Baton Rouge and New Orleans. Carpetgrass will blend in with centipede grass throughout the year. Then summer comes and the seed heads pop out. Carpetgrass seed heads  make a mess of your well manicured lawn.

Carpetgrass looks sort of like centipede grass. They have grow in a similar manner. The easiest way to identify carpetgrass is to wait until late June and throughout the end of summer. Carpetgrass seed heads shoot out and form a distinctive shape. It is usually described as a Y with one extra offshoot. Checkout the picture above to see it.

Herbicide control products include either Celsius or Finale. Both require licensing in Louisiana. These products work, but may take two applications. Contact us for help.

Carpetgrass does not do well with salt. If you have a salt tolerant grass like certain varieties of St. Augustinegrass, then you may have another option. While we have not attempted this remedy, numerous other sources have found success with it. Attempt at your own risk. The mix is 7 to 10 gallons of water and two cups of table salt. Let it sit in a large bucket for a couple of days to dissolve. Pick a day when there is no expected rain for 3 days out. Using a watering can, lightly water the areas with carpetgrass weeds. You should see the effect in three days.

The temperature is warming up and you look outside at your lawn and wonder, "What happened?" You are not alone. Winter can do things to turn your beautiful lawn into a quite a mess. Let's go over what you can do to get your lawn looking its best again.

How to get rid of broadleaf weeds from my lawn?
Your lawn most likely has a lot of broadleaf weeds, including white clover, thistle, Carolina geranium, dollarweed, dandelion, and more. These should be easy to take care of using weed control products you can find at your local hardware store. Important: Make sure you are aware of your grass type and focus on the temperature restrictions for the product you choose. They can be the difference between dead weeds and a dead lawn.

How to get rid of annua poa from my lawn?
The best way to get rid of annua poa is to use a pre-emergent during the previous late October to November. Since we didn't do that, you can use a weed control product containing atrazine. Be sure to follow the label as there are restrictions based on time of year, grass type, and state.

How do I prevent weeds from growing in my lawn?
Apply pre-emergents now to stop summer weeds before they start. Pre-emergents are usually cheaper than controlling weeds after they grow. Read the label for your pre-emergent to see if it controls the weed you are having trouble with. Common summer weeds are purple nutsedge, spurge, dallisgrass, goosegrass, Virginia buttonweed, and crabgrass (crabgrass pre-emergent should be started in November to December in the prior year).

How to stop fungus from damaging my lawn?
Fungus is active during cool nights and warm days (read as spring and fall). Apply a preventative fungicide just as the the weather is favorable for these conditions. If your lawn already has a active fungus, you will need to use a curative fungicide. Some curative fungicides recommend combining with a preventative. Read the label to be sure. 

Fungi also enjoys a nitrogen rich environment. This means it is a terrible time to add a lot of nitrogen to your lawn. A small amount of nitrogen should be okay if it comes paired with a soil additive, just be cautious since it can turn a small fungal problem into a big fungal problem.

What to do about low spots in my lawn?
Low spots in your lawn hold water which damage the grass roots and lead to weed patches. If you have low spots, top dress them with sand or compost. You can choose to sod over these spots or to let nature do its thing and have the grass slowly grow.

Test irrigation coverage and problems
Setup your irrigation time to operate for spring. Run a full cycle on your irrigation system. Check for obvious leaks (giant geysers) and for full coverage of your lawn. Changing a few tips now will keep your lawn well irrigated when the weather heats up. 

Clear clogged drains
If you have drains that aren't draining, it is time to clean them. Sometimes this requires a call to a professional drain cleaner since it requires special equipment. Older, poorly maintained drainage may require a complete rebuild.

​First, preparation is key. The right choice of grass makes all the difference. For the climate in both Baton Rouge, New Orleans, and other parts of south Louisiana, a hybrid Bermuda grass can take a lot of damage and regrow in a matter of days.  Soil composition which allows easy movement of water, air, and roots will shorten recovery times after field use.

Off season core aeration and top dressing keep the field healthy during use later in the year. Actively reducing soil compaction in the off season allows for some great root development. Top dressing the soil will even out the low spots the field created by players repeated use during football season.

Next is prevention. Regular overseeding during the entire season keeps a continuous supply of new grass to replace the damaged areas. The players cleats help to sow the new seeds. The new grass seeds get plenty of nutrition and sunlight on a low cut field and start growing quickly.

Irrigation lets us fill in mother nature’s gaps. Sunlight and water go a long way in promoting growth for grass. Complete, consistent coverage for the playing field is vital. This is paired with great subsurface drainage to get the roots enough water, but not too much water.

Fertilization gives stressed grass what it needs to grow. Maintaining an accurate fertilization program keeps the grass growing and green. With the right fertilizer, irrigation and sunlight, hybrid Bermuda grass is a growth monster. Bare areas will be covered with grass in a weeks time.

The last tool is replacement. Replacing is usually the most expensive option, but is necessary at times. This typically means installing new sod to a very damaged area right after a game and nursing it’s root growth. If you have a very rough area of grass, focus on the repairs when there is an off week or an away game. The extra week of care will really show on the next home game.

Install a rain barrel to collect rain water from your roof. Less rain in June does not mean no rain. The roof of your home will channel the rain water toward your gutters and down into your rain barrel. Use the stored water to hydrate the plants and save yourself some money on your monthly water bill.
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Plant flowers that are drought tolerant. Some flower varieties need constant attention and a lot of water. Skip these unless you have a lot of spare time. Peruse the annual selection at your local garden center for flowers that can take both the heat and dry times.

Install an irrigation system with an automatic timer. An irrigation system, or lawn sprinkler, is your insurance against drought. The automatic timer will keep your plants watered without you needing to worry about it. These systems last a long time and usually take a small amount of maintenance once a year. Good luck with the dry heat this summer.

​In the winter, weed control is more apparent than in summer. Why? Your lawn is dormant in winter and typically brownish. Winter weeds grow big and green in the winter and stick out like a sore thumb. These weeds then drop their seeds and spread and get worse each year. 

Controlling these weeds now will keep your lawn looking nice and uniform all winter long. This will also keep these weeds from establishing themselves before spring. 

First thing you need to do is identify the type of weed. Some are easy, like clover, some are not. If you are not sure what it is, take a picture and post on a landscaping forum. Google also has an image search that sometimes works, sometimes not. 

All hardware stores sell selective herbicides. Check the label for your type of weed. Make sure it is safe to apply over your type of grass and go for it. This will greatly reduce the number of weeds in your lawn and you can no stay indoors on the upcoming cold days.

​3 Things To Consider Before Choosing a Mowing Company
 
Maintaining a lawn may not seem like a hard-enough job to require much research into the business you hire to do it. However, choosing the right mowing company can potentially save you a lot of arguments and frustration in the future. After all, you are paying someone to cut your grass, which is money right out of your pocket. Don’t you want the relief and security of knowing your choice is dependable and works hard for the payment? Consider these three things before choosing a company to mow your lawn.
 
Seek Out References on Their Reliability
 
Finding the right lawn mowing services can require a little background detective work on your part by looking into previous customer referrals. Look for customer reviews and determine the average rating of the business. Furthermore, it’s important to directly ask the company in question for references on its grass-cutting efforts. If the supervisor is slow to hand them over, this could be a sign that you should be wary. Professional and well-reviewed businesses will often be proud of showing off their great customer feedback.
 
Determine What Trade Organizations They Belong To (If Any)
 
Oftentimes, you are unlikely to find many landscaping services that belong to trade or professional organizations. However, this is why finding one can ultimately be rewarding. Those companies that are involved show that they are dedicated to providing hard work and excellent customer service. They are staying up-to-date on changing trends, constantly re-educating themselves on new rules and policies and generally just showing they care about the grass they are supposed to perfect. Such indicators are signs of a stalwart business model and can generally be the right path to finding a trustworthy company.
 
Ask for Information Regarding Their Equipment
 
The handling, quality and maintenance of the equipment can be very telling of work ethic and responsibility to the job. Offhandedly ask the local lawn providers questions regarding how often they change their equipment, most notably the blades. If they don’t acknowledge their procedures or don’t tell you the blades are sharpened after on a regular schedule of mowing, then it’s time to move on to a more dependable service.
 
Use This Knowledge To Make Your Choice
 
Once you have received good intel and customer reviews, choosing an honest, hardworking lawn mowing company can be a far easier task. You can avoid the burden of losing money to whoever is tending to your grass when you take the right actions beforehand.

Centipedegrass is one of the most common grass types in Baton Rouge, New Orleans, and throughout southern Louisiana. It is fairly easy to take care of and most weed problems have a solution. Luckily, there are readily available controls for bermudagrass as well. This is great since bermudagrass grows more quickly than centipede and fills in open areas.

Sethoxydim is a selective herbicide that will get rid of bermudagrass in centipede grass. Some brands of Sethoxydim are Vantage, Poast,  and Segment. A variety of Sethoxydim can be found at most hardware stores. It will take between one and three applications to remove the bermudagrass problem. Generally, the first application should be a broadcast application to the entire area affected. The next applications are normally spot treatments for areas with regrowth. Once the bermudagrass is gone, you should be ready to get some sod and fill in the areas that were taken over by bermudagrass.

For best results, do not mow the area being treated for one week before and one week after the application of Sethoxydim. Be certain your existing grass type is centipedegrass since Sethoxydim will damage or kill other grass types. Sethoxydim only works at higher temperatures, so be sure to treat when the weather is warmer according to the label.

Sethoxydim also eliminates large crabgrass, smooth crabgrass, goosegrass, and seedling johnsongrass. Just make sure your grass is centipedegrass. If you are having a problem with these grassy weeds as well, you can use Sethoxydim to take care of all of with your treatment. Be sure to follow the label. If something you read and the product label conflict, trust the product label. The label is the law.

GreenSeasons has partnered with Spring-Green to provide the best lawn care and weed control possible. Spring-Green is a professional lawn fertilization and weed control company servicing the greater Baton Rouge, greater New Orleans, Slidell, Prairieville, Walker, Denham Springs, Gonzales, Baker, Zachary, Hammond and Covington areas. If you think you have a weed problem or greener grass, just click here for a weed control free quote  and we will give you a call or call them at (225) 757-5170.

If you would simply like some advice on DIY weed control, please click here for tips from Spring-Green.  

The big three for growing plants are sunlight, water fertilizer. The fourth component most home gardeners (and professional landscapers) need to focus on is the pH, or potential Hydrogen ions, of their soil. All it takes is a soil test from either your local garden center or agriculture co-op. There have been many good plants ruined simply due to the soil not being tested. Once you have the results from your pH soil test, check your plants' optimal pH range and see if they match up. If they do, great! If not, prepare yourself of a slow soil correction with your yard. Fall a great time to get started adjusting the pH of your soil.

Add lime, usually the smaller form the better it will be absorbed. 
Apply at three months or more before you plant.
Mix the lime into the soil. If you are liming your lawn, aerate first.Use the amount recommendations on the bag you have bought. Do not attempt to raise your soil pH more than 1.0 point per year.
Make sure your soil is getting watered. The water is what activates the lime to raise your soil's pH.

Add sulfur. There are different forms of sulfur, some work rather quickly while some take a long time.
As a rule, you will want to use a form of sulfur to lower your soil's pH slowly. Forms of sulfur that lower your soil's pH quickly can be harmful to plants.
If you are adding sulfur to your lawn, aerate first.
Use the amount recommendations on the bag you have bought. Do not attempt to lower your soil pH more than 1.0 point per year.
Irrigate after adding sulfur to make sure all of the sulfur has been washed off your plants since it can burn plant material it touches.

Wear long pants, long sleeve shirt, gloves, dust mask and any other personal protective gear recommended by the label of the products your are applying.
Read and follow the product label.
It may take you years to adjust your soil pH to where you want it to be.
A little lime goes a long way. Remember, lime is a key ingredient in cement, don't harden your soil unnecessarily.
If you soil is very alkaline, you may not be able to lower it to your desired level. Consider different plants or bringing in soil for a landscape bed in that area.

GreenSeasons will your soil's pH for you. We provide landscaping, lawn care and pest control services in the Greater Baton Rouge, Greater New Orleans, Slidell, Hammond and Covington areas. If you would like your soil's pH tested and adjusted, just click here and we will give you a call. 

If you would simply like some advice, please contact us.  

Temperatures for rye grass seed germination should be between the upper fifties and lower nineties. Rye grass prefers to grow when temperatures are in steadily in the sixties during the day. Rye grass prefers to grow in full sunlight and for their seeds to not have much soil covering them.

Since this article is written in mid-October in southern Louisiana, the answer is, "Spread out your rye seed now." The temperature is right for the seed to get started germinating.  You can also check the monthly high/low averages in your area by viewing the monthly outlook on a weather forecast site. Click here to see where I have selected Baton Rouge, Louisiana as the location. This will lead to a beautiful, lush green yard in winter when everyone else's yard appears to be lacking.

Rye grass has other benefits besides making your yard look good. First, rye grass prevents erosion by growing in bare spots that would wash out easily with winter rain. Secondly, rye grass releases allelopathic secretions which prevent other plants from germinating near it. A natural defense against new winter weeds. Lastly, rye grass will naturally fertilize your soil in the winter making the your warm season grass healthier in the spring and summer.

Feel free to read our former post about rye grass by clicking here.

GreenSeasons will spread out rye grass for you. We provide landscaping, lawn care and pest control services in the Greater Baton Rouge, Greater New Orleans, Slidell, Hammond and Covington areas. If you would like rye grass planted for you, just click here and we will give you a call. 

If you would simply like some advice, please contact us.